In-line roller skates have a plurality of wheels mounted for rotation in a common plane on a frame that is attached to a boot. Initially, such skates were constructed using long, threaded end bolts to mount the wheels to the frame. The threaded ends of these bolts often extended substantially beyond the nut and presented a hazard to both other people and the outside environment in general. In particular, they were destructive to objects like furniture and to riding surfaces that were easily gouged or scratched. Wooden floors such as those found in skating rinks were particularly susceptible to damage by the axle bolts. As a result, many skating rinks banned the use of in-line roller skates because the owners thereof desired to protect the smooth finish of the floors from damage, thereby closing an important market to in-line roller skates.
Some improvements in the manner that the wheels are mounted to the frame have been made, including the use of a low profile round head bolt having a head configured to eliminate destructive scratching and that received an allen-type wrench. This improvement essentially solved one side of the axle problem. The other side with the nut, remained a problem. In an effort to at least partially solve the problem, the axle bolt was shortened so that it did not project significantly beyond the nut when the nut was tightened thereon. Under certain circumstances, the nut, however, would still gouge the floors.
Another problem with the current fastening systems is that two tools are required to assemble the wheels to the frame. First, an allen-wrench, screwdriver, hex head wrench or the like is needed for the head of the bolt, and, second, a box wrench or socket wrench or the like is needed for the nut that is tightened onto the threaded end of the axle bolt.
It would be desirable to have a fastening system to attach wheels to the frame of an in-line roller skate that would not be likely to mark or scratch floors, injure other persons, is aesthetically pleasing, and would make assembly of the wheels to the frame an easier task.